Washing machine having a resiliently supported tub structure



Oct. 14, 1952 E. o. MORTON 2,613,337

WASHING MACHINE HAVING A RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED TUB STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 5, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR ELDRED 0. MOR TON ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1952 MORTON 2,613,837

WASHING MACHINE HAVING A RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED TUB STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 3, 1948 2 sHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR ELDRED 0. MORTON ATTORNEY WITNESSES: F/G 4.

Patented Oct. 14, 1952 I Eldred-OJ-Mort'on, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to 1 v Westinghouse Electri HAVINGA RESILI- i J npz'rm'snrron'rnn TUB STRUCTURE Y c Corporation, East Pittse burgh, Pa... ai'corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 3, 1948,'Serial No. 47,639" N This invention relates to a machine'forwashin clothes of the type having an outer casing structure, a resiliently supported washing unit ar-' ranged therein and a flexible wall structure connecting the casing and resiliently supported unit for providing communication between access openings formed in the casing and-insaid unit; which flexible wall permits relative movement between the unit and casing and prevents the spilling of water from the unit. 1

An object of the inventionis to provide an improved washing machine'of. the type set forth.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved flexible wall structure which may readily be connected to the casing and washing unit of a machine of the type set forth.

These and other objects are effected b the Q invention as will beapparent from the following description and ,claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this'application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken through the casing .of one form of washing machine constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention, portions of themachinebeing shown in elevation; v a

Fig. 2 is a front elevatioirof-the upper portion of the machine shown 1l l'Fig;1-;'

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of a flexible wall shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view of a detail employed tojsecure the flexible wall to the washing unit shown in Figs. 1 and 2. l

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein I have elected to disclose my invention applied to a washing machinegenerally of the type disclosed .in the patentof Frank Breckenridge, 2,296,25'l, granted September 22, 1942. This type of machine includes an outer casing structure having a front wall H, the upper portion of a rea m (01. 220-15) Arranged within the casing 10 is a clothes washingand centrifuging unit, genera1ly-indicated at 2| and including a tub structure 22 having a front wall 23 which is spaced from the .wall portion l2 of the casing; The wall 23-iszprovidedwith a relatively large I access opening 24' alignedwith the access opening IS in the casing; Arranged within the tub 22 is a generally frusto"-. conical basket structure 25' having a side wall 26 substantially perforate throughout its extent, a number of the perforations being indicated at 2l'.- The front end of the basket 26 1s also providedwith a relatively large access opening 28 alignedwith the access opening 24' of the 'tubu- The basket '25 also prov'idedwith a number of -con'ventional vanes, two o-f-which are shown at-29iifor= agitatingthe fabrics contained within the has-- ket during the washing operation' t The basket 25 is rotatable about its'iobliqu'e. axis by an electric motor 31 carried by a'suitable' bracket structure 32 from the tub 22; i. The motor v 3| is effective to rotatethe basketat a relatively low speed-of, for example, 50 R. -'P. M;"-==during washin'g periods, and at a relatively hig l'i speed of, for example, 500 R i-P'. M; during centrifugingperiods. As shown,-'the motor 3l -isconnected by 'a'belt 33'to asheave 34 s'ecured'to adriving shaft 36 of a. conventional, adjustable twospeedtransmission indicated" generally at3l: "l h'e lat ter is provided with a driven shaft 38 whiclris fixed a's'shown at 39 to the basket 26 forthe ro tation thereof." As adjustable two-spaced m'e'chanismsof thetype 'sho'wnat 3-1 are well under:

stood in the art: and, sinc'e the transmissionrier se forms-no-part of" the presentinvention, fu'rther description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

a .source of. supply through a. conduit 4t having.

portion l2 of which is inclined upwardly and rearwardly of the casing Ill; The inclined portion [2 of the front wall is provided with a relatively large access opening l3 which is closed by a door structure l4 shown inits closed position in Fig. 1, and in its open position in Fig. 2. The door may include a rigid frame 15 having a transparent window 18 mounted therein which 1 frame [5 is secured to brackets H. The latter are pivoted, as shown at I8, to the casing so that the door 14 may be moved from the closed position, as shown in Fig. 1, to a generally horizontal, open position, as shown in Fig. 2. A suitable latch structure, generally indicated at I9, is employed for retaining the door in its closed position.

; shown, three springs are k A suitable transmission of the type "shown. at- 3.1

isdisclosed and claimed in the patent of 13.:

Edwards,'2-",284',047', granted May 26, 19142:- no, Washing. .water is admitted to the. tub .22 from a suitablexiva'lve 42 connectedthereimwhichztonw duit 4| terminatesfin anozzle 43'carried by1the, J

The. water admitted throughi the coma tub 22. duit 41 is directedibyv the-nozzle, through the accessopening 28.of,the jba sket, asxshowngin Figs 1. Washing wateris discharged fromgtheytuhjj to a suitable drain; by, means; of: .a- QQnd-uit which is connected to a: sump 45 formedlowermost portion of the 'tub 22. Flow-of r water through the, conduit'may bs co any well-understood manner.

shown, the washing unit- 2| is supported within the easing to so; th

ing the unit 2| from the casing l0. Two springs indicated at 46 and 41, best shown in Fig. 2, are connected at their upper ends to brackets 48 carried by the casing NJ. The lower ends of the springs 46 and 41 support brackets 49 which are fixedj'tothe tubiin any suitable-manner, as

may be employed for limiting vibratorymove ments of th unit 2! as is well understood Inaccordance with my inventio'njan' improvedform of resilient wall structure, indicated generally at 55, is employed for 'co'niiectin'g'tlfecasv form;.'it.-wi11 be obvious to those skilled in the in the casing and unit and prevents the escape ofwater from the unit. The Wall is preferably i'c rubber and may be molded as'a'unit orformed from an extruded strip having ,itspends vulcanized to complete the circular walla flhe iresilient wall may be readily aping I and the washing unit 2] in orderito -pfef vent the spilling of water-Ifrom the tub 22. This wall; 155 has an intermediate corrugated portion 56ir1 orderjto permit bending of the Wall 55 as the; unit '2] is depressed and elevated during, the filling-{anddraining of water from thegtub 22, respectively The outer, end of the .wall55 terminates; in an integral, relatively thick, annular gasket 51,';slotted, as,shown at EBJseeFig. 3). forthe rec'eption of'a rolled OVEIgfi e, 59 formed on the casing wall l'l'zand encompassing; the

, opening 13. 'rheaportion of the g sket 5 .indic'ated-attl, is stretchedhover therolledover edge'g59lso thatithe forwar end oi -the resilient wall -55; is: securelyattached-to the front wall of thecasing, The gasket 57 is provided with a sealing lip ,62. which, inits} free position as shown in its. :3, is generally irusto-conicaL- said lip extending radially, inwardly ofthe wall 5 5 and outwardly of the casing In. This lip 62- is en-l gagedby'an annular'portion 63 of the window l6 whenzthe, door I4 is closedand ismoved -to a fiat,, radial position,; in sealin engagement with, thez window l6, as shown in Fig. 1. Water flow-;

ing'kdownwardlyower the, window (6 is deflected bsccthe 111x62 inwardly :of the ;wall 55 toward the ub This..-se a-1ing arran ement. mpl fi ;the. Y

doo construction by eliminating costly water tlghtiseals ,0r :mountings between the :door frame lizandthe window 6, and; alsothe use of vitreous enameled or; nonrustin material. :for. "the door framerlS. i,. q r.

--The; .inner r-end of, the all 55 terminates, ,in n outer-reverse band 54,: slotted as, how a1; 65

v,ioiuthe reception .Of a-rolled v r. e ge form d on theien'dy of anannular-fla-nge 6] which p19? l c s inwardly 0f the tub .;wall. '23; and pe he erally'aofmthe! access opening; 24 therein. The, reverse-bend fid zencompasses the rolled iedg e- 66,, as showngin iFig. =1, and -;is\ maintained,. i,n this position ib y an endless, f resilient: rin or :gart'er peripherally of (the i a oc'ess lope v structure.

.1; violins-for mo emen fiflewhich binds the reversebend-64z onth zout'er surface of theflange 15 1.;- outwardly extendi-ngiweb "6'9 'isforme'd on the reverse be'nd "64 and isflattehed against the interior or the :tub Wall '23=by the' r-ihg BB. I havefound 'that .this method oi attachin'g the inner-terminal ofthe 'resilient wail 55 to' 'the-tub:"22 effectively prevents slip pine 0 the wall 55-relative the =tub -22"or detach-. ment -tnerefr m duringz centrifuging operations when tne walr 55 is vibrated at high ffeqeuncis ofthe -order' of 500 cyclesper minute. Prefer ably; the frverse bend -54 provided with a bar-- fie l I which substantiallyf elos'es the space-12 interve nin'g" between-the. bend '64 and-the brtion plied 'toiawasherizor detached therefrom for reacement 0 9 23 131 While I havesho'wn my invention in but one art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departingrroin "the, "spinal; If; r

WhatI claimisjz' I,

1., Inf a ,wahill g madhlilfi, the icoinb'ifriation of a {tub; for'containing washingwaterfia.fixed cas- 'ng. surroun'ding the 'tub ans for i esilien'tly J said asingiand pr'ob'relative the easrespective opposed wall memberssp'aeed apartfanaproviu'ed withregistering accessop iii 's' ai' 'silieiit'tubw lar wall extending bet 6 o u means-forrsecliring the all 0 said Wall ;.6f ,lil 'i'tv casin H gthe'rin, said wall of the tub having" ange. I e e'for'med thereon and including a yl indrical'po'rtion disposed,;peripherall;y of theaccess opfning of the. ledge Whih P'lO- eo i fl n a; tub for; contain ng washing ,wa'ter, a. fixed casing surroundingthe tub, means for resiliently s p ort n he tu viihin said i a'andapre- I the tublrelative-thelcase n said tub and cas ngjhavingrrespective ope with: registerin -ac ce ss openings,-=a door lhinged tOrSgbld easing wall'for-closing the'aceess opening therein a resilient ,extendi'ng be tweensaid opposeduwall ;me,r iber s of the casing and; tub, means for y securin I tubular wall -t d. a; gen 11y frusto oonical sealing lipf formedewithin d gasket; portion and extending inwardly of; th bular avail and toward said doc m-tsaid lip being *engaged by "the door when thetlatter is' closediiand moved'to ,the plane of the door.

3. in :a washing machine, .thei'combinationx 'oi v a tilb fo'r containingwaShirrg .fwater, a 'fixedceasing surrounding the tub, means for resiliently,v

os'ed Walls an P e e 5 supportinggthe tub within said casing and providing for movement of the tub relative the casing, said tub and casing having respective opposed wallgrnembers spaced apart and provided with registering access openings, a door construction for closing the access opening in said casing, said door construction including a frame hinged to the casing and provided with a relatively largefopening therein and a transparent window arranged within said opening and secured adjacent itspe'ifiphery to said frame, a resilient tubular wall extending between said opposed wall members-of the casing and tub and means for securing the ends of the tubular wall to the opposed wall members of the tub and casing peripherally of ,the access openings therein, said tubular wall having an integral annular gasket portion formed thereon and engageable with said window withinzthe periphery thereof when said door construction is moved its closed position. 20

. 6 i 4. The combination as claimed in claim 3 including a generally frusto-conical sealing ,lip

- formed within said gasket portion and extending inwardly of the tubular wall and towards said door, said .lip being engaged by the windowand moved to the plane of the window when the door construction is actuated to its closed position.

ELDRED,0. MORTON.

V 7 REFERENCES ,CITED I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

I UNITED STATES PATENTSv 

